A total plant is made up of a plurality of modules in today's automation industry, with each module having at least one control and at least one machine. A modification of the plant can be carried out simply and in a time-saving manner due to the modular structure of the plant.
The control of the plant controls the machine such that the machine carries out its associated work and optionally interacts with another machine. For this purpose, the control receives input signals from connected signal generators that, for example, reproduce an environment of the machine or a position or a movement of the machine. The control generates output signals that control the machine accordingly and communicates the output signals to the machine.
In this respect, the control comprises configuration data that enable the control to recognize the connected signal generators and machine and to control the functions thereof. These configuration data can be implemented in the control by means of an external input device, for example a computer.
The configuration data are stored in the control in a known manner so that a new implementation of the configuration data in the new control is necessary on a change of the control, with the input device having to be connected to the control. The input device also has to be connected to the control on a modification of the plant or of the work to be carried out by the machine to install the modification on the control.
This requires an input of the configuration data into the control on site or a longer down time of the plant until the control configured with the new configuration data is reinstalled into the plant.